Lake Murray (South Carolina)

Lake Murray
Lake Murray from the dam
Lake Murray
Location	Lexington / Newberry / Saluda / Richland counties, South Carolina, United States
Coordinates	34°03′57″N 81°19′44″W / 34.065795°N 81.328968°W / 34.065795; -81.328968
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Saluda River
Primary outflows	Saluda River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	41 mi (66 km)
Max. width	14 mi (23 km)
Surface area	50,000 acres (200 km2)
Max. depth	189.6 ft (57.8 m)[1]
Shore length1	650 mi (1,050 km)
Surface elevation	360 ft (110 m)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Murray is a reservoir in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is approximately 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares) in size, and has roughly 650 mi (1,050 kilometres) of shoreline. It was impounded in the late 1920s to provide hydroelectric power to the state of South Carolina. Lake Murray is fed by the Saluda River, which flows from upstate South Carolina near the North Carolina state line. The Saluda Dam (officially the Dreher Shoals Dam) was an engineering feat at the time of its construction. The dam, using the native red clay soil and bedrock, was the largest earthen dam in the world when it was completed in 1930. Lake Murray itself is named after the project's chief engineer, William S. Murray. The Saluda Dam is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and 220 feet (67 m) high. Lake Murray is 41 miles (66 km) long, and 14 miles (23 km) wide at its widest point. At the time when the lake was finished, it was the world's largest man-made reservoir.^[2]

In addition to serving as a source of hydroelectric power for the region, the lake has become a recreational attraction, with fishing and boating being popular activities. Also, Dreher Island State Recreation Area, located in the Western part of the lake, provides multiple activities—all focused on the lake.